Robert Julian Stout
United States
Personal background and interests related to the Final Project. Expectations for the LA Programme
I am a repeat language assistant and on and off again photographer . I have been teaching English one way or another for the past five years, in Korea, Spain and occasionally online. I’ve taught both primary and secondary schools, and bilingual subjects such as History, Natural Science, Art and Technology.
My degree in European History means that I highly enjoy teaching classes in the social sciences, and since my school expressed an interest in continuing with Global Classrooms this year, my final project includes material used for Global Classrooms, and dovetails with the schools curriculum on human rights the following terms.
Same as every year, I have simple expectations for the LA program: I just need the support and collaboration from my school to be able to best help the students.
School placement:
I have been placed in a secondary school in a suburb of Madrid (Near Las Tablas). It is (what I would consider) a mid-sized school, and I am one of two Language assistants. I’m always very lucky with schools: The students are clever and motivated, and the teachers universally helpful. Its the best possible situation really.
Teaching experience:
I began working as an ESL teacher after graduating from university, beginning in a secondary school in South Korea. Since then I have worked in four secondary schools in Madrid, and another year of primary in Korea. I have also studied for a TOEFL, worked online, tutored and been involved in the Girl Scouts program both in the USA and Madrid.
Contributions to the LA Program
I have always tried to contribute positively to the LA program. My schools have always been good about establishing their expectations, and respectful of not exceeding my own limits (or abilities), but I don’t mind at all finding ways to contribute that are slightly outside of the curriculum. In the past I have helped my school coordinate with the Indian embassy to secure materials for a cultural exchange program. This year I have been working closely with global classrooms, and have brought in a guest speaker to discuss the topic with the students. Additionally I have been working closely with the History teachers to provide additional materials and lectures on topics related to the curriculum.
Highlights of the LA Program
Working with the teachers and meeting the students. I genuinely love both
Furthermore, the LA program gives the flexibility in terms of time and resources to teach about things I am really interested in, which is not often the case with similar programs I have been a part of.
Materials:
These are materials I have developed for my history classes (English follows the text book and Cambridge provided test prep materials very closely)
Further materials can be found along with the final project, and are relevant to global classrooms and teaching about human rights.
